5.11.18

Hyperloop declared a public infra project

The Pune-Mumbai Hyperloop project being executed by the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority has been declared a public infrastructure project by the state government.

The state had issued a government resolution in this regard. The original project proponent — the consortium of DP World FZE and Hyperloop Technologies Inc — will publish a detailed project report, which can be challenged by other bidders under the ‘Swiss Challenge’ method to be implemented under the Maharashtra Infrastructure Development Enabling Authority Act, which was passed in March this year.

PMRDA commissioner Kiran Gitte said this move will help expedite clearances for land and other technical matters. Under Swiss Challenge, any bidder that submits a bid 10% better than the original will bag. Gitte said the Maharashtra government was the first in the country to declare Hyperloop an infrastructure project.

PMRDA officials said the audit firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers has been appointed the transactional adviser to help implement the project. PwC has been tasked with checking the economic, legal and project viability, and also assist the PMRDA in implementing the project.

Now that the project is a public infrastructure project, the central government will have to decide under which Act this project will fall. The Centre will also decide whether or not amendments can be made to the Metro Act. The safety features of the project will be examined by Niti Aayog.

“Once the bidder is finalized, the first step will be to construct the 11.4 km demonstration track from Gahunje to Ozarde,” an official said.

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